The Institute of Boggus Talk (IBT) has spent significant time this new year examining ways to help bring our aviation industry back to life, to get people flying again – and get them flying to destinations that need the economic impact.
Oh, sure, there has been a lot of talk about flights to nowhere, but come on. People want to get out and do something. Airlines want to put their metal in the air, and airports are looking for passengers to drive parking revenue, PFCs and concession revenue. Destination cities are looking for that economic shot in the arm that travelers bring.
While the IBT agrees that business travel continues to be slow in coming back, we’ve asked ourselves what we can do on the leisure side to lubricate the system. Did we come up with an answer? Is cereal soup? Of course we did!
The crack scientists and mind sieve specialists at the IBT had to look no further than our local movie theater chain to find the answer to this enigma. We notice that movie theaters are now renting out entire theaters at 50 percent occupancy to groups to bring in revenue, get people back in the theaters, sell overpriced concessions and provide a welcome respite from boredom.
A moviegoer can use their movie app to book an entire theater and pick the film they’d like to see. This concept is incredible!
Why can’t we do that with our favorite air carriers? In addition to opening our favorite carrier app and booking a scheduled flight to somewhere that the airline flies, we could also have the option of booking an entire plane — socially distanced seating, of course— to go wherever we want to go. This concept, called “uFly,” lets you be the captain and choose where you want to go and with whom you want to go.
Let’s say a Boeing 737-700 costs around $3,958 per flight hour, with its average first-hour speed of 450 mph. So, we’re looking at $4,000 for every 450 miles of flight. By dividing $4,000 by 120 passengers, or approximately $33.33, we can calculate the cost per passenger flight hour for a standard 737-700.
Let’s say, due to COVID-19, that we use a 50-percent load factor. That changes the cost per passenger per flight hour for about 60 people to $67.00 per passenger per flight hour. This cost per passenger would allow you to book an aircraft to take you and your friends almost anywhere in the continental United States for less than $210 per passenger each way. And you get the whole plane to yourself with social distancing.
While the IBT understands that this is the essence of chartering an aircraft, most everyday passengers have always looked at chartering as a cost-prohibitive venture. Perhaps we find ourselves in a time where chartering a plane for a family reunion trip, a church outing, a girls day out, or even dinner and a show for a college group can free people from the stress of the Work from Home (WFH) environment and months of Shelter in Place (SIP).
For those who like living on the edge, our airline friends can develop a random destination generator so that when you pick your flight, you can select the DAD (Dial a Destination) box where your destination will be randomly generated. You won’t know where you’re going until you board. Dude, sign me up!
This Catch the Plane (CTP) concept will further the allure of air travel by offering passengers the opportunity to set their destination and with whom they will fly in a socially distanced environment. For those with an added sense of adventure, the DAD (Dial a Destination) option may be just the answer for the boredom they’ve experienced.
When it comes to thinking about aviation, the employees of the IBT ask “What box?”
Stay safe and sane!
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